A very successful filter arrangement, primarily for use in significantly reducing the level of chlorine in tap water, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,759 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,189. The filter body illustrated there is known as a block filter, and comprises a substantially continuous self-supporting, self-venting body of activated carbon and binder, having a porosity of about 8-120 microns (e.g. about 10-120 microns or 20-40 microns, and all other narrower ranges within the broad range).
There are some circumstances under which it is desirable to extend the versatility of the filter assembly as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,759 patent and above mentioned copending application by dispensing small quantities of desirable materials into the water as it is exiting the bottle through the filter. Particularly desirable to dispense are flavorings, although it is also possible to dispense vitamins, dietary minerals, or medicines in this manner. As a matter of fact almost any desirable material that would be made in porous block form with some but relative low water solubility could be utilized.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of dispensing flavorings, minerals, vitamins, or medicines with drinking water using a bottle having a neck or open end through which drinking water is dispensed, comprising: (a) Placing a porous soluble solid element comprising at least in part a flavoring, dietary mineral, vitamin, nutritional supplement, or medicine, in the bottle containing drinking water so that water must flow through the element before passing through the neck or open end. And, (b) positioning the porous solid element in position in the bottle within a filtering element so that water from the bottle will not flow through the filtering element into contact with the porous solid element in a static condition thereof. Preferably the method further comprises (c) positioning a membrane between the porous solid element and the neck or open end to substantially prevent water which has passed through the membrane from going back into contact with the solid porous element.
The method may further comprise (d) providing the solid porous element and membrane as an integral replaceable unit, and (e) replacing the unit when spent. Also the method may further comprise manually valving the flow of water at the neck or open end.
In the method of the invention (a)-(c) may be practiced so that the solid porous element flavoring, nutritional supplement, vitamin, mineral or medicine does not become substantially ineffective until the passage of about 5-30 gallons of water therethrough. This range is effected by solubility and release requirements; which are less than the life of the filter. Preferably (b) is practiced by removing at least 50% (preferably in excess of 80%) of at least one of chlorine and lead from the water at a flow rate of 10 ml/sec using a carbon block filter having a porosity of about 8-120 microns, and including a lead specific zeolite known as ATS if lead removal is desired.
In the method, (a) may be practiced using at least in part a flavoring element having a porosity greater than the porosity of the carbon block filter, and having a solubility between one quarter and one one hundredth that of sucrose. Also in the method (c) may be practiced using a hydrophobic membrane having a negative angle of wetting less than 90.degree.; and (a) may be practiced using a vitamin, dietary mineral and/or nutritional supplement having a solubility one quarter to one one hundredth that of sucrose; and/or using an element having an initial porosity of between about 40-200 microns.
According to another aspect of the present invention a water filter and dispenser of flavorings, vitamins, nutritional supplements, dietary minerals, or medicines assembly is provided for use in capping a bottle neck or open end. The assembly comprises the following elements: A cap having a top and bottom. A manual valve extending upwardly from the cap top. A filtering element operatively connected to the cap bottom. And, a porous soluble solid element comprising at least in part a flavoring, dietary mineral, nutritional supplement, vitamin, or medicine disposed between the filtering element and the valve so that water passing through the filtering element essentially must pass through the porous soluble element before passing through the valve.
In the assembly preferably the filtering element comprises an activated carbon block filter capable of removing at least 50% (e.g. in excess of 80%) of at least one of chlorine or lead in water passing therethrough. Preferably the carbon block filter is tubular, having an open center, and wherein the porous soluble element is disposed within the open center of the tubular carbon block element.
The assembly preferably further comprises a membrane substantially preventing reverse flow of water therethrough under static conditions, but allowing flow of water therethrough from the porous solid element under non-static pressure conditions, the membrane disposed between the porous solid element and the valve. Preferably the membrane and soluble element are both substantially tubular, the membrane substantially lining the soluble element. Typically the membrane is a hydrophobic membrane having a negative angle of wetting of less than 90.degree..
Preferably the soluble element has a solubility between one quarter and one one hundredth that of sucrose, and a porosity greater than that of the carbon block. If desired the assembly may be constructed so that the membrane substantially covers the soluble element at both top and bottom surfaces thereof in addition to substantially lining the soluble element.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an assembly is provided comprising: A substantially tubular carbon block element (perhaps containing ATS) capable of removing at least 50% of at least one of chlorine and lead from water passing therethrough (at 5-10 ml/sec.) and a porosity of 8-120 microns; and a central opening therein. A soluble solid porous element disposed within the central opening of the carbon block element, and having a solubility between about one quarter and about one-one hundredth the solubility of sucrose. And, the soluble element comprising at least in part a flavoring, vitamin, nutritional supplement, dietary mineral, or medicine. The details of the assemblies are preferably as described above.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the effective dispensing of flavorings, vitamins, dietary minerals, other nutritional supplements, and/or medicines in water as the water is filtered and flowing out of a bottle. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.